Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! Part Nine

Hola! We have torn ourselves away from watching Korean dramas all weekend long to write this final installment of our treasure hunt. It is sort of sad to be at the end already, but we have a lot of other things to post about on the horizon and Maple said that she has a whole new project planned. What in the world could that be???

Well without further ado......

We get back to that issue of riding in a boat to get to Echo Island....

Uggghhhh.

I told Maple that I wasn't going on a boat anywhere and I started to teach Ellie how to take pics. (She is my twin sister in case you don't remember.) But that didn't really go very well. She doesn't like the newest camera we have -- too many buttons and flippy bits, she says.

So it became clear that since everyone else was busy or didn't care enough to help Maple, I was going to have to take that boat out to Echo Island. Uggghhhh.

"What if there are sea monsters out in the Channel?" I asked Maple.

"There's no such thing as sea monsters," she replied.

"Well theoretically there is no such thing as ghosts, but we saw one of those on this adventure...."

"Maybe that's true.... but there won't be anything in the Channel besides us on a boat." She sounded confident. I wasn't so sure.

Maple's outfit for today consists of a knit bear hat from 123 Mulberry Street, a grey cord skirt from The Dolly Stand, a tan and white striped top from All Dolled Up Doll Clothes and a white tee shirt from Sew Urban Designs.

We journeyed back to the beach and walked until we found the docks. A big guy with a patch over his eye, a hook for a hand, and a label on his shirt that said "Captain" welcomed us aboard his ship, the S.S. Hawkins.

From there on out it was a nightmare. I planned on taking pictures of our boat journey, but once the ship started moving my stomach felt funny. I was seasick the whole ride over to the island and spent the time below deck.

Eventually we docked and I stumbled off the boat. I asked the Captain if he had any sea sickness medicine for the ride back and he said, "Nope."

So yeah..... that was something to look forward to...

Maple and I walked the 50 paces west on the beach from the dock and searched for the mottled tree stump. Luckily it wasn't too difficult to find.

"Okay, dig around the stump!" Maple instructed me as she tried to hand me the blue shovel from the kiddie beach set we have for these occasions.

"You have got to be kidding. I was just sick in that ship's bathroom for 30 minutes straight. I am sitting down. You get to dig."

"But that's no fun...."

"Suck it up."

So Maple began to dig on one side of the stump. And then on the other. And then on the other. She pretty much dug a ditch around it, tossing sand everywhere. I would have taken pics of this entertaining process, but I was still pretty weak.

After about fifteen minutes she flopped down on the sand next to me and sighed, "Aggghhhhhh. There's no treasure here!!!!!"

"What do you mean?"

"There's nothing here. I dug everywhere."

"Yeah but you only dug like two inches down. It's probably down deeper than that or someone would have found it by now."

"Oh well... maybe.... but maybe someone did find it already?!?"

"Well then, I guess we should just go home then...," my voice drifted off.

"Neva! I'm gonna dig deeper this time."

And through her perseverance.... and deeper digging... Maple eventually found a box in the sand!!! We cracked open the lid to find hundreds of jewels!!! Okay, maybe just like fifty jewels... but still it was cool!!

Here are the various triumphal shots of Maple on Echo Island....

....with her treasure, which she promised to share with me....

I asked for a 50/50 split....

She suggested 70/30....

I agreed 70 for me and 30 for her is fair since I did more work
than her on this adventure....

And then she said okay to 50/50....

Slideshow!

Final pic of our awesome treasure!

We gathered up our box of treasure and headed back to the mainland on the boat. I wasn't too sick on the way back. I survived. But I am also not going on a boat again. I think I saw a shark in the water.....

------------

Thank you so much for reading about Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt and looking at all of our pictures that we have been posting for it!!!

We appreciate everyone's enthusiasm for the series and we will try and do something again like this before the end of the year with outdoor pictures. We may also try and do photo-stories indoors if we can come up with some ideas for them, haha. A treasure hunt was an easy one to invent. ;-)

Stay tuned for more Doll Wardrobe fun!!!

Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! Part Eight

Hola! The treasure-hunting saga continues.... 

So the hint that I found on the old seawall ruins read:

Find Silver Pointe

A hundred paces south of Fort Black

Then two hundred paces west

Beyond the sandy pathways

Over the dunes of grass

The broken reeds hide

What you seek

After Silver Pointe there is only one more place on the map to go.... Echo Island -- Where the treasure is located!

The day after we found the seawall ruins we ventured out to find our next hint. 

Maple's outfit for this adventure consisted of a shirt from L'Atelier de Sitara and shorts from Sew Urban. Her headband was from Belle Couture -- the DumbTwinsXOXO Youtube channel girls' doll clothing line. The shoes we ordered from Liberty Jane. She also grabbed her binoculars to help us find the broken reeds.

We went to Fort Black and walked the necessary 300 paces. Then we found the sandy pathways and dunes of grass... but we were attacked by biting flies and sand flea thingys. My ankles were all red from the bites!

"Let's go back. These things hurt!" Maple whined.

"But we've come so far!" I responded. "How can we turn back now?"

"Oh, fine. Let's just keep walking then. Maybe when we find the reeds there won't be these bugs there."

The bugs didn't leave. We managed to get to the shore area, slapping away insects the whole way. And the whole beach was lined with a pile of broken reeds. There were thousands, no millions of broken reeds.

"How are we supposed to find a hint in these things?!?!" Maple practically screamed.

"I don't know. But I'm not about to give up now."

"Well, if you aren't giving up... neither am I..."

We started to hunt in the reeds, she went in one direction and I went in the other. Eventually the bugs stopped biting us. I don't think they liked being slapped.

It was actually starting to turn into a nice day at the beach. Then Maple got sand in her shoe and tried to take it off. She, of course, fell on the pile of reeds and bruised her arm. I learned this after hearing an "Owwwwww!" from down the beach and ran back to her. I put her shoe back on and helped her up.

"This is not going well," she commented. "I haven't found anything. And now I'm covered in bug bites and I'm bruised. Did you find anything?"

"It's got to be here somewhere. Just keep looking. We'll take care of the bruises and bites when we get home."

She pouted but kept looking.... until a flock of seagulls came and started bombing the beach with mussels in order to open the shells. Maple screamed in fear of being clocked with a mussel and we ran off in the opposite direction of the gulls.

We sat down and caught our breath. Then I spotted the hint right in front of us in the reeds! Finally!

Some well-earned pictures.... Can you see the hint?

How about when we get closer?

Yep... it's right there...

Showcasing the outfit...

Dramatic aerial shot....

Slideshow for kicks....

We unrolled the hint on the beach and read it:

The end is near.....

Echo Island calls


Cross the Channel

Take 50 paces on the beach

Headed west from the dock

Find the mottled stump

Dig and dig and dig....

Maybe you will find something

Maybe you won't....

Maple looked at me, excitement in her eyes. I looked back, terror in mine.

"You mean we have to cross that water?" I asked, fearful.

"That's what the hint says. You knew Echo Island was an island... I mean, its right there in the name..."

"I'm not going near any water..." I replied.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't like water. Or boats. Or water and boats."

"Well there are these sandbars. Maybe we can walk over at low tide." Maple looked through her binoculars to find Echo Island on the horizon. "It's far away. Way over there. Beyond the sandbars. We're gonna need a boat."

"I'm not going on a boat..." I stared at Maple. She stared back, then squinted evilly.......

Stay tuned for the Final Installment of Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt!

Will we go to Echo Island?

Or will I run in fear from all water and boats?

And is there even treasure on Echo Island?

Or is it all a trick????

Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! Part Seven

Well Maple found out that people have actually been reading about our hunt for treasure and that they seem to like it. So she insisted on being more involved in the actual posting process. Which means that as we were picking photos to be included in this post, she kept saying "And that one. And that one. And that one."

So we have way more pics in this post than the others and we made a couple slideshows for ease of use. It's all the same outfit -- Maple just liked the way she looked in all of these photos. Le sigh.

Today's outfit is an amalgamation. There is your big word for the day. Her blue tie-dye jacket is from Karito Kids Piper's "Meet" outfit. Her shoes are Lira's normal Wellington boots (which as you can tell Maple favors). And the rest of her outfit is from Target.

Target now carries a "PlayWonder" or "Play Wonder"?.... line of 18" dolls, clothing and accessories in addition to their Our Generation line. Everything we saw in the store actually says Madame Alexander on the labels, so you can pretty much guess which company is actually making the toys.

There were a lot of outfits in the (third) Target we went to in order to find these clothes. We bought two outfits and meshed the pieces together for Maple. Her purple tie-dye tank top, purple skirt, gray zebra leggings, and hairband are all from these outfits. We'll talk a little bit more about the new line tomorrow and then post more about the outfits we bought later on.

As you can guess, we did manage to get out of the maze of bushes that was "Smuggler's Cove." After wandering aimlessly around some more, Maple remembered that her cellphone has GPS in it. So we just told the phone to tell us how to get home. It took awhile, but we got there. And once again, Penny seemed unconcerned that we were home so late. :-/

The hint we found in the last post said:

Begin at Fort Black

Go 50 paces Northwest

Until ye find 

The Ruins of Ol' Seawall

Follow its path

As far as ye can go

But beware

Fate is a tricky lass

It may take more than one journey

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maple asked.

"You probably don't really want to know," I answered.

The next day we did as the hint said: found the seawall ruins and walked the length of them -- which was a rather painful walk in scrubby plants and on a slippery slope of sand. We didn't see a single hint. So we walked all the way back along the wall, carefully looking on top of and under every stone. Nothing.

And then it started to rain. So we had to call off the search and return home.

It rained all the next day. We stayed inside and tried to do an iron-on project. "Tried" being the operative word. We'll post about that event soon.

On the third day, the skies cleared (somewhat) and we tried again.... like the hint told us to. I think this whole thing is just designed to make us walk a lot.... Here are more three shots of Maple posing along the wall and a slideshow....

Eventually I found the hint laying gingerly on top of a stone.... 

Towards the end of the wall, of course.... 

That was not there the last day we looked.....

Maple informed me that she wasn't climbing up the "hill of muck" to pose with the hint and that I had to bring it back down to her. Yay.....

Two pics of Captain Maple with her hint and a slideshow.....

Today's witty dialogue probably would have been us arguing about her posing at the bottom of the sandy hill instead of closer to the actual seawall ruins and where I found the hint. But I think we were too tired from walking to argue. Or perhaps we are just getting along better? Nah..... that can't be it....

Stay tuned for Part Eight of Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! 

Only two more parts to go!!! 

Will we find the treasure???

Oooo, the suspense!!!

p.s. The blue jacket is amazing and seamstresses should really
think about making them to sell in their shops. :D

Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! Part Six

Hola! Today the 2011 Summer Doll Photo Contest Final Round pictures are due -- so you'll be seeing those soon on the blog for voting purposes. :-D

Well Maple and I have been to four locations now on zee map.... and we are dreaming of pirate treasure... but we are probably only halfway to our goal! *weeps

The hint we were "given" at Deadman's Grotto read:

Begin at the Tower

Take a hundred paces South

A hundred paces West

A hundred paces North

Fifty paces West

Welcome to Smuggler's Cove

The sun is high

You are low

If not you'll never find the place to go

The next day we continued our journey, despite being a bit shook up from the previous night's events..... 

Since it was a slightly colder day, Maple decided to wear a black and purple henley from All Dolled Up Doll Clothes, AG pants, and those non-sensible sandals. Her hairband is from Vintique Designs (came with the Shiny Happy Dress we bought but haven't shown you yet...grins guiltily).

We trudged all over tarnation following the hint and ended up lost in a maze of thick bushes. It obviously wasn't a very helpful hint. We spent so much time wandering it was already getting dark outside.

"I'm tired and my feet hurt," Maple whined. "Maybe we should go home."

"I told you not to wear those sandals again," I replied. "You knew the hint said to walk like five hundred miles."

"Yes, but they go with my outfit...."

"Well if you can figure out a way out of these bushes to go home, please let me know." I grimaced.

Maple tried to take off her sandal and rub her foot while standing up and promptly fell on her butt.

"Owwwww!!!!" she cried.

"C'mon. Let's go," I reacted, trying to help her up.

"I don't want to. Let's just sit here for awhile."

"Do you want to sleep on the rocks here tonight?"

"No....," she said. She began to look around for a softer place to sleep. She spotted something intriguing -- a low opening in the bushes. "Oh, look! It's a way out!"

"I bet it's more than that.... remember the last part of the hint.... we have to be 'low' to find Smuggler's Cove!"

"You mean, I was supposed to fall on my butt?"

"No. But we were supposed to be looking for a low entrance...."

So we crawled through the opening and came out in a small clearing and sure enough, the hint was hidden in one of the bushes there. Maple was very happy to pose with it, despite the dimming sunlight and me saying that we should just go home....sigh.

Glamour shots of Maple and the hint...

"If this is Smuggler's Cove...," she asked, "Where is the smuggled loot?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I replied.

"Well maybe we should look around for some."

"Don't you recall on the map that Smuggler's Cove is 

right by Deadman's Grotto?" I asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"Yeah, so... when it gets dark a dead dude comes around here... remember?!"

"Oh.... right.... let's finish up then and go home...," she replied quietly.

Final dramatic angle shot for the evening...

I was listening the whole time for some ghosty thing in the distance....

"Now how do we get out of here?"

p.s. Don't touch that darker bush.... it's prickly... 

as I discovered when I leaned against it to take photos... :-(

..........................

Stay tuned to see if we ever get out of the maze of bushes in

Part Seven of Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt!

I just know we are getting closer to the treasure!!!

Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! Part Five

We don't often talk about the 'real world.' Mostly because this is meant to be an escapist blog (if you haven't caught on to that by now, haha). But we just wanted to say that we hope everyone who lives in the path of Hurricane Irene is safe-- you, your family, your friends, and your pets. We have you in our hearts and thoughts this weekend. Be safe!

Okay, back to our 'dolly reality'... haha. Hurricanes are too scary to discuss for long periods of time... it's better to talk about fake scary stuff... heehee.

Welcome to Part Five of Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! 

Maple and I went back home with our shattered magnifying glass. Sure enough Penny said she'd get us another one. She also asked us about our next hint.

"Oh, Maple clumsily tripped and we forgot to look at it!" I said smiling. Maple shot me a look.

We unrolled the hint to find a drawing of a flower. That was it. Just a flower. No hint.

"Holy cow! You got the wrong thing!!" Maple gurgled and then threw herself on the couch.

"I didn't get the wrong thing. It was the only hint at the top of the Tower!" I responded.

Penny smiled at us. Oh great, another person who knows more than we do.

"It's invisible ink," she commented while pointing at the paper. "Under the flower is probably a message."

"Well how do we see it?' I asked.

She picked up the hint and smelled it. She is a weird woman.

"Lemons. It's written in lemon juice so you heat it up. Let's go get the iron," she said.

So we ironed the hint until a message started to appear. It read:

What was not there

Can now be seen

From cool to hot

From light to dark

Start at the heart

Travel west two hundred paces

To find where the Deadman

Waits for you at dusk

"Yeah... I think this is where I stop going on these journeys," I said. "I'm not planning on going anyplace where a dead person is waiting for me."

"Don't be such a chicken. It's just talking about Deadman's Grotto, from the map. There aren't actually dead people there. It's just the name," Maple insisted.

I looked at Penny. She just smiled again. I waited until she said something.

"Have fun you two!" she chimed as she left the room to put away the iron.

Aren't adults supposed to be the responsible ones who prevent children from going places at dusk?

"C'mon Nora... it'll be fun. And we've come this far. How can we stop now?" Maple pestered me.

I was curious about this treasure, I knew no one else would go with her, and I felt guilty if she had to go alone.

"Fine. Let's go back to the compound tomorrow." I slogged my way upstairs to my bedroom for what might be my final night of sleep..... I could hear Maple clapping in delight that I would still go with her.

The next day we are ready to head out once again. Maple has dressed herself in a black and white top from All Dolled Doll Clothes, jeans and a white tee from Liberty Jane, and a sock monkey hat from 123 Mulberry Street.

We journeyed back to the heart-shaped lock at the base of the Spanish Tower and took out our compass to know which direction West lay. Then we traversed the two hundred paces, once again with difficulty in keeping count. Why can't it ever be 20 paces instead of 200?

Our path ended at the base of a rocky hill near a group of large droopy trees. We crawled into the center of them, assuming this was Deadman's Grotto and it was where the hint was located. But there wasn't anything there.

"I guess we really do have to wait until dusk," Maple said.

"So you think some dead person will come bring us the hint at dusk?" I said with a horrified look on my face.

"No. But maybe it's just like the invisible ink. We can't see the hint until something reveals it...."

Sounded innocent enough. Too bad I was still scared. And it is difficult to take photos when your hands are trembling.... I swear something was watching us....

"Keep that camera steady!" Maple shouted. So understanding.

"I'm gonna hang out on the other side of these branches," I said, backing up to hide. 

There was definitely something rustling in the distance.

"Chicken," Maple snorted. She looked just as scared as me though.

We stood still for a long time. The sun moving slowly out of view. It was getting darker and darker.

"Do you hear that?!?" Maple called into the darkness around dusk. I took a photo, but saw nothing in it except Maple...

"I don't hear anything!" I responded.

"I can't believe you are making me stay in here by myself!" she shouted back.

"Fine, I'll come in and take some photos." 

It was getting a little too spooky to stand by myself.

The first shot came out pretty well. But when I went to take a second photo, something dark moved in front of the camera! Eeek!

I looked at the photo on the camera and practically peed myself. There really was a shadow there!!! Ahhhck! But the hint was there too!!!

"There it is!" I pointed.

"What was that though? That thing? Didn't you see that shadow?" Maple replied.

"Let's just get the hint and leave!"

"We have to take more photos though!" 

Oh poodles. She must be joking. She glared at me.

"Fine, get over there and pose before that thing comes back!"

Rushed glamour shots..... filled with trepidation...

"Do you hear that?" I asked.

"It's nothing. Keep taking photos," Maple whispered.

"If it's nothing, why are we whispering?"

"Sssshhhhhh."

"Are we done yet???"

"Almost.... make sure you have enough photos..."

"I have enough photos for sixteen blog posts!!!"

Then there was really movement in the branches around us.

"Don't you hear that noise Maple?!? Let's get out of here!!!!"

She froze.

So I grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the grotto, barely managing to snatch the hint as we ran out. And we kept running until we found Stone Rock Road where we stopped to catch our breath.

"Do you think that really was a dead man?!?!?" Maple gasped.

"Didn't you see that shadowy thing?!?!? I don't think it was a squirrel that magically 

appeared and gave us that hint!"

"Ahhhhh!!!!!!!".... is all Maple could manage to say as she started to 

run again towards home.

So much for that brave adventure. I don't think we'll be visiting Deadman's Grotto again anytime soon....

Stay tuned for Part Six of Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt!!!